5 minute read
In Their Eyes
148 FASHION In Their
Eyes
Style groups? Target groups? It’s not easy to categorise today’s female consumers. They are versatile, diverse, and able to distinguish between passion for fashion and consumption awareness. style in progress asked buyers to share the women they envisage while doing their job.
Text: Martina Müllner-Seybold, Kay Alexander Plonka. Illustration: Claudia Meitert@Caroline Seidler. Photos: Interviewees
Christiane Lindner’s Zeitgeist store has held its ground in Amberg, a tranquil town in the Upper Palatinate, for 27 years now. 90 percent of her customers are regular customers. “We’re the brand in their eyes, that’s for sure. Stories are important to our customers,” she says. The store stocks pillows from South Africa with a charity background and proudly communicates that Odeeh’s studio is located in Giebel stadt, not in Milan or Paris. “Those who eat consciously, take good care of their body, and are health-conscious are interested in fashion that fits their lifestyle. This is a mind set - a lifestyle.” Zeitgeist customers enjoy updating their seasonal wardrobe with high-quality, durable, fun-loving, colourful, and feminine pieces. “I believe it’s important to convey that our products emphasise value. We don’t sell disposable fashion. We sell items that would complement the piece you bought from us last season.”
In his capacity as Buying Director of P&C Düsseldorf, Vito Santoro is responsible for the fashion claim of the chain’s more than 70 branches. Santoro worked for Closed for many years and made a name for himself with his own store called Identità Italiana in the past. Thus, his appointment is a commitment to trading up by P&C. In addition to shop-in-shop concepts, one of the leading German fashion retailers intends to sharpen its own profile by displaying younger premium brands. “The woman I buy for is versatile, privately and professionally successful, and self-con fident. She pays attention to her appearance. I don’t necessarily focus on specific professions or age groups. This woman values the quality, ethics, and design of a product. Brand names are less important than the feeling of being surprised by what she sees. This surprise instils a desire for a new look in her.”
As suggested by its location between popular après ski hotspots, shopping at Sinnesberger Englhaus has a certain holiday feeling about it. “Our typical customer has different residences, which is reflected in her wardrobe. She wears a completely different style in her hometown Hamburg than in Kitzbühel,” says Brigitte Sinnesberger, who has been managing two stores in Kitzbühel with her husband Michael for more than 15 years. “She combines sportiness with elegance. For example, fur is still a topic in a winter resort, while it is becoming increasingly rare in larger cities. A customer who takes care of herself and takes sport seriously is interested in art, lifestyle, design, restaurants, and travelling. She doesn’t mind a bit of sparkle. Our typical customer expresses her status with jewellery and bags by the so-called First Lines. Sinnesberger Englhaus offers figure-conscious customers, who are young at heart and often married with teenage children, a wardrobe with a healthy dose of glamour and decoration - modern, wearable, and casually interpreted.”
Nathalie Nicoletti of Blue Sense in Heidelberg brings a bit of holiday feeling to the university city. “Our Portuguese wines, delicacies, and ceramics from Vista Portuguese attract customers who share our love for the good life.” On Saturdays, the store often turns into a meeting point for little groups who know, advise, and animate each other. “Many of our customers become more courageous with every visit, because they realise that their outfits are com plimented.” A consultation always needs to be honest and at eye level. This requires much personal appreciation. “I always see the individual first. In many cases, I only know my customers by first name and know nothing about their social status.” It’s not unusual for a business relationship to turn private. “Some customers have become friends who we enjoy going out for dinner with after a day of shopping. I like to imagine women who are confident in wearing an effortless, sporty-elegant look and who express their appreciation for themselves with clothing.”
“I Believe in an Excellent Wardrobe”
The Voo Store, located in the backyard of “Oranienstrasse” in Kreuzberg, is a Berlin institution in terms of sneakers and avant-garde designers. “The woman I buy for may seem a little austere at first glance. At second glance, she is a bit clumsy and sexy. Her hair is ruffled at times. She may not be a classic beauty, but she turns heads due to her self-confidence and wit. I see a woman who loves classic combinations and looks, but is not afraid of a topsy-turvy mix,” explains Herbert Hofmann, the Creative Director and Head of Buying at Voo Store. “I firmly believe in assem bling a wardrobe that allows you to mix almost everything you own. It’s the result of basing purchase decisions on taste rather than running after every trend. This woman prefers to shop in the store, not online. She thinks long and hard before she buys an item. She hand-picks unique pieces that she keeps forever and still cherishes after years. A curiosity for new things is more important to her than brand image. Such a woman will ask where an item was manufactured. I imagine a woman who enjoys eating well and likes talking about food. She travels a lot - that’s what she spends most of her money on.”
“The most important thing is that we enjoy ourselves and have fun during the buying process,” says Kathrin Bauer. She manages Magazzin in Graz together with her sister Tini Köck. The 250-square-metre store bridges the gap between sports and fashion. “I always ask myself what could inspire my female customers. Which outfits attract attention?” Be it in the shop window or on the website, special items lure customers into the store. “We mix our price segments: from a Missoni dress for 599 Euros to ballerinas by Tom’s for 69 Euros. This reflects today’s buying behaviour and reduces the reluctance people may feel in terms of entering the store. We strive to make decisions for our customers. They don’t want to search for hours, both online and offline. Our female customers appreciate that we are a place they can trust. They know that everything fits and that they feel comfortable in our store. They are always looking for new favourite pieces and prefer items with interesting background stories. Everybody loves hearing stories that inspire.”
